When the Songbird Sings
by Fading to Black
Summary: A series of songfics I did for Gone. Don't read if you hate.
1. The Way I Feel

Dekka Talent was depressed. Not unusual, for a girl like her. She sat at the pier, doing nothing but lazily dragging her submerged feet around to make patterns in the water. Her thoughts eventually turned to Brianna, just like they always did. Heedless of being in her clothes, she jumped into the ocean just to feel the water. The pressure above her blocked out most noise and all sight, but only heightened the pace of her thoughts.

_I cannot seem to reach you_  
><em> Although you're so close now<em>  
><em> I'm moving 'round in circles<em>  
><em> Come to me<em>

Brianna was so close, just _so_ close! But that was in technical distance, not real distance. In reality she was just beyond reach. Dekka saw her love every day, but around her shoulders was Jack's arms. So she kept thinking. Should she tell Brianna? No, Brianna might like her. Yes, that would be great! A load off her back. No, it would only wreck their relationship beyond repair. She couldn't decide, her thoughts going around in circles.

_I cannot seem to leave you_  
><em> I'll reach out to you now<em>  
><em> You're moving way too fast, love<em>  
><em> Stay with me<em>

Still she couldn't work up the nerve to say anything, despite the fact that Dekka couldn't imagine life without Brianna. Fast, fast breezy Brianna. Dekka could just imagine her love practically flying into her arms, and her reaching out to receive her, laughing and smiling. But she could also imagine the ever-more-likely scenario of a shocked and horrified Brianna flying away, leaving a crying, broken Dekka behind. That was the first time Dekka decided that Brianna was too fast for her own good. It was also the first time she realized just how badly she wanted the girl to stay with her.

_Now I know it is time to move on_  
><em> And I know that I should forget you now<em>  
><em> But I can't change, no<em>  
><em> The way I feel about you<em>

Dekka resurfaced and treaded water. She should forget Brianna, for her own sanity if nothing else. She knew she had to forget her. Still, she couldn't. Still, her memory was persistent in reminding her little tidbits about the running girl. Dekka was stuck in love, she realized, and she couldn't change how she felt about Brianna. She was stuck in Brianna's web, but as a stashed aside morsel: unsavory and inedible but stuck, nonetheless, to the silvery trap.

_I cannot understand this_  
><em> The change in your emotions<em>  
><em> And why you cannot love me<em>  
><em> The way I am<em>

Dekka had never really been interested in boys. There it was, cold and simple. She didn't know what it was like, didn't understand it. She didn't understand how Brianna might love Computer Jack, but not her. If she had been a boy in an alternate universe, maybe, but not here. Not as she was. No, never as she was, because as it was she would just ruin the relationship they had managed to cobble up through common experiences.

_Now I know it is time to move on_  
><em> And I know that I should forget you now<em>  
><em> But I can't change, no<em>  
><em> The way I feel about you<em>

Jack. Computer Jack. Brianna had him, and they were definitely in love with each other. There was no room for Dekka in Brianna's heart, not like _that_ anyway. Dekka realized she should have moved on long ago, because of how much it hurt to see that. But how could she have forgotten it? Dekka realized that she couldn't have, and that doesn't make her feel any better than she was. Possibly worse.

_I cannot find the right words_  
><em> Why don't you understand them<em>  
><em> How much I really want you<em>  
><em> To change your mind<em>

Dekka might have yearned for Brianna, but she had to make her understand how she felt before jumping in the deep end. She went back under water, swimming like a dolphin. Words. She needed the right words for Brianna to understand her, understand how much Dekka loved her and how much she wanted her to change her mind about Jack, however selfish that might be. Love does strange things.

_Now I know it is time to move on_  
><em> And I know that I should forget you now<em>  
><em> But I can't change, no<em>  
><em> The way I feel about you<em>

Dekka knew that it wouldn't happen. That Brianna was gone, lost to Jack. But that didn't mean she had to accept it, or that she could. She took one last plunge in the ocean before swimming back to the pier. She walked back to town in the meager light, trailing salt water and tears.

**My first song-fic ever...and probably terrible. Tips? Song is _The Way I Feel _by Nemesea.  
><strong>


	2. These Old Wings

It was hard. Astrid hiked through woods and through empty streets, her eyes focused on the ground and her concentration melded to putting one foot in front of the other and as much distance as she could from society. Her hands were clenched in an attempt not to put one out to her side, where Little Pete would have been, and once again relive the moment she threw him to the wolves. Well, the bugs anyway. The moment she threw him to his death, thinking it would all be over as soon as she did. But now she wasn't thinking, so she just left a note saying she would be leaving at the house they had stayed at and left.

_He raised his hand, for the last time she could stand_  
><em> And the room was a grave that night<em>  
><em> She left a note, it said "I'm not coming home"<em>  
><em> It took courage, but she took flight<em>

She was falling apart, that was all there was to it. After she got burned, literally, with the Council, she had pretty much thrown herself into caring for Petey. She had held on to him as her last lifeline, and that rope had frazzled and fell apart, in a whirl of anger and a simple act of murder. Then there was Sam. She didn't have any clue how to feel about him. He did love her, she knew. Or had loved her. Did he still?

_ And what are you really holding onto?_  
><em> Life is a tightrope, and you're burning, burning, burning both ends<em>  
><em> It don't always move the way it ought to<em>  
><em> But don't let the ground drag you around<em>

No, it didn't matter. He hated her, anyway. He had to. And whether he did or not, she was done. Done with him, done with Drake, done with Zil, done with all the normals and freaks of Coates and Perdido Beach. Done with Little Pete. Done with everyone and everything. They didn't need her, anyway, and they kept hurting her. No, let them take care of themselves while she tasted a little bit of sanity and perhaps freedom. She couldn't bake her cake and eat it too, so why bother touching the batter? No, just cut her ties with them, and let them live their own lives.

_ And these old wings_  
><em> Have been a long time, been a long time coming<em>  
><em> These old wings<em>  
><em> Just gotta be good for something<em>  
><em> Burn these strings so I can see what these old broken things<em>  
><em> What these old wings can do<em>

She used the last of her 'Bertos to get herself some food, a treat of fresh fish, and some water. She wouldn't need them anyway. She had handed out some of her small luxuries for more water and set out. She refused to stop until she knew there was no further she would go. She didn't steal a car, but she had considered it. She was going far away, after all, and what use would she have for a car, especially after it ran out of gas? She wondered as she walked where she would go.

_She sold the car for $1100 bucks_  
><em> And a bottle of something sweet<em>  
><em> She caught a train and counted seven stops<em>  
><em> And got off when she felt free<em>

If she was going to get away from the people and the problems enshrouding her hometown she had to go far, far away. She had nothing left to hold on to, anyway. She had nothing left to tie her there, to tether her like a barn animal to a burning fence. She had absolutely nothing to lose.

_ And what are you really holding onto?_  
><em> Life is a tightrope, and you're burning, burning, burning both ends<em>  
><em> It don't always move the way it ought to<em>  
><em> But don't let the ground drag you around<em>

The fact that she had nothing to lose had cut her free from the tedious, mind-breaking responsibilities and hatred that lay in waiting for her in the town. The town that she was hopefully nearing the end of. She was getting a bit leg weary, but pushed on in an effort to get far enough away. She had to fly away, but her resolve, her wings were ratty and broken, mended only slightly with the pain, tears, and guilt of Pete's death._  
><em>

_ And these old wings_  
><em> Have been a long time, been a long time coming<em>  
><em> These old wings just gotta be good for something<em>  
><em> Burn these strings so I can see what these old broken things<em>  
><em> If these old wings can fly<em>

_ Fly, fly, fly_  
><em> Fly old wings, high<em>

As she walked out of town, she had passed the cemetary one last time. She had made sure to look at every headstone-Brittany's open grave, the firestarter from the first day, the three dead girls all named Jennifer, the markers for Duck and Pete and the rest of the jagged prayed softly, singing the psalms of comfort, as she walked through it. She sent her heart to whomever was up there listening, and stopped, hearing her last song flicker through the false moonlight by which she traveled.

_ She found herself_  
><em> Where people go in gloom<em>  
><em> For friends that are buried there<em>  
><em> She wrote a note to God in a balloon<em>  
><em> And watched as it disappeared<em>

She didn't know where she was going, really. She didn't know she was crying until her eyes blurred and she tasted the salty tears as they ran into her open, gasping mouth. She didn't know where she was, with all the streets flashing by. She didn't even know she was running until she tripped and fell, looking back, grief-stricken tears covering her face. Blood from a skinned knee she didn't notice. Half of her tortilla stash had fallen out somewhere, but she couldn't summon the energy to care. She really was losing it, wasn't she?

_ And what are you really holding onto?_  
><em> Life is a tightrope, and you're burning, burning, burning both ends<em>  
><em> You don't always move the way it ought to<em>  
><em> But don't let the ground drag you around<em>

She stopped here, at an old apartment building. She looked for the street name. The sign was gone, torn off by someone or something long before. Shrugging her shoulders, Astrid felt a huge burden lift off her as she walked in to an apartment building. It was in the old complex. She'd just followed Ocean Boulevard until she found it. She could be free here, freer than anywhere else. There was no burden waiting for her in the dark corners of the house, not even the mice that had been hunted to near-extinction long before. She let out a long, jangly, almost maniacal laugh and sat down, laying her head on the floor. Seconds later, sleep took her, and she was still laughing in the recesses of her mind. She was gone and she was free.

_ And these old wings_  
><em> Have been a long time, been a long time coming<em>  
><em> These old wings have just gotta be good for something<em>  
><em> Burn these strings so I can see what these broken things<em>  
><em> With these old wings can do<em>

**Song: These Old Wings by Anna Nalik.  
><strong>


	3. Shine

Samuel Temple was a lot of things in Perdido Beach. Before the FAYZ, he was School Bus Sam. Then he became Fire Chief Sam and Burning Building Sam and Hero Sam, Councilboy Sam and Broken Sam, Mayor Sam, Sam Who Was Not There To Save Us When The Bugs Attacked and Lake Tramonto Sam. In the end, it was concluded that Sam only became a hero, a man at the head of everyone, who knew what needed to be done and did it but stepped aside and turned his back to the burden in the good times. In fact, it was strangely comical how quickly he would give up his task in favor of another, any of the others, taking up the burden. How great the lengths he went to take to go unnoticed during the interglacial periods. How strongly he stepped up and steeled himself to task during the conflict. How he never stayed afterwards to do more than watch his handiwork and criticize it.

He got scarred, hurt, torn, and broken and everything in between with all of them, but in the worst times he never failed to poke up his head and make sure everyone knew that Sam was on the job. But it still tore him, mentally, in ways that no one had that have ever held the responsibility would ever understand. Edilio did. Caine might. Astrid surely did.

Astrid, who _might_ love him yet. Astrid who was always cold to him. Astrid, who he knew _he_ loved, who he had told he loved, who had not come to tell him so until much later.

_Oh, the night makes you a star_  
><em> And it holds you cold in its arms<em>  
><em> You're the one to whom nobody verses I love you<em>  
><em> Unless you say it first<em>  
><em> So you lie there holding your breath<em>  
><em> And it's strange how soon you forget<em>  
><em> That you're like stars<em>  
><em> They only show up when it's dark<em>  
><em> Cause they don't know their worth<em>

That responsibility was crushing. It closed on him with misery and despair and madness combined as its crushing force against him. The deaths of EZ, Hunter, and all the others only added on to that force. As did the FAYZ and its mutating animals. As did Drake Merwin, and all the memories associated with him. It crushed him against himself, begging him to defend himself if only he could.

Yet they wanted more from him; more and more with every day. Did they not understand that he was breaking? No? Well, it didn't matter. It was a crisis and it was time for him to step up and be the light, literally and figuratively, in the face of adversity.

_And I think you need_  
><em> To stop following misery's lead<em>  
><em> Shine away, shine away, shine away<em>

He was surprised he wasn't totally gone yet. Didn't the universe know he was broken? No, they told him to get over it. Drake hurt him at the power plant, leaving permanent scars running up and down his torso, and so what? No, they told him. You don't get a break. You don't get to be fragile and brittle. You need to be agile and strong, bending back whenever you get hurt, they told him. You need to stand up and explode us into safety by giving us the basis by which we will get there. You need to tell us what we need to do, and get us to do it. You need to convince us that you are worth following by proving yourself an obvious good leader. So, no, you don't get a break. You need to work at attaining that flare, glaring enough to reach all of our eyes, and _shine_, darn it. The big bad world is out to get us- so LEAD us and SAVE us like you can and have! That was what they told him.

_Isn't it time you got over_  
><em> How fragile you are<em>  
><em> We're all wait-<em>  
><em> Waiting on your supernova<em>  
><em> Cause that's who you are<em>  
><em> And you've only begun to shine<em>

It didn't usually happen that way. The freaks and the normals didn't usually find common ground. But they had now. They kept him up through the night, to make his points to them, to believe what they said, to force them to believe in what he says. Then when he finally got to sleep, they sent Taylor or Brianna after him to shake him awake and get him moving again, or he relived an experience where they did or there was some problem. The nightmares. The nightmares that might be worse than any waking moment. He didn't know who to believe when it happened, they all screamed too loudly; it was all he could do to block his ears and not go deaf.

_ There are times when_  
><em> The poets and porn stars align and<em>  
><em> You won't know who to believe in<em>  
><em> Well that's a good time to be leavin'<em>  
><em> And the past, it knocks on your door<em>  
><em> And throws stones at your window at 4 in the morning<em>  
><em> Well maybe he thinks it's romantic<em>  
><em> He's crazy but you knew that before<em>

No, he steeled himself. It was his job not to block his ears and scream so that he couldn't hear the world around him. He had to face them. Listen to their sides and come up with a conclusion. He had to _lead_ them, especially now what with homegrown hate groups. He had to deal with his want to run away and deal with the children pressing at his sides so mercilessly. His job was now, his job to lead.

_And I think you need_  
><em> To stop following misery's lead<em>  
><em> Shine away, shine away, shine away<em>

He knew he was freaking out whenever anything that might have to do with Drake Merwin showed up. He knew it. He also knew that it had been quite some time since he had last fought him. He also knew that it was even longer since _that _incident. If he couldn't get it out of his mind, he had to work against it, work around it, or face it on his own, in his own time. The last he could not do, but he had to get over it somehow. Time was on his side right now, so with Its help he would learn to keep his composure in the face of that hated nemesis.

He couldn't do what he had to properly with it hanging over his head.

_Isn't it time you got over_  
><em> How fragile you are<em>  
><em> We're all wait-<em>  
><em> Waiting on your supernova<em>  
><em> Cause that's who you are<em>  
><em> And you've only begun to shine<em>

The Darkness, the Gaiaphage was still out there. It was going to kill them. Sam, Caine, and everyone all the way down to Zofia and Manuela and the rest of the prees. He had to do his best to avoid that end. His light had to be victorious over the battles with the Darkness. With help, of course, but still. As a four bar and the oldest person in the FAYZ and the best fighter, it was his job to.

_Yea you've only begun to shine_  
><em> Won't you shine, shine, shine<em>  
><em> Shine over shadow, oh oh<em>  
><em> Shine, shine, shine<em>  
><em> Shine over shadow, oh oh<em>  
><em> Shine, shine, shine, shine over<em>

He barely heard the Darkness in his mind, not like Lana or Caine or even Little Pete once did. He mostly dealt with its other incarnations. He, for example, should have recognized Nerezza as not being of the town, and once he did done something about it. But no. Little kids nearly died, Orsay and Mary died, and that crisis was over. The plague that had run rampant through the children, claiming perhaps a dozen lives. Drake Merwin, Whip Hand. The talking coyotes. The zekes. The greenies. The bugs.

It was his job to deal with all of those and more. More than he could even think of at any given moment.

_And I think you need_  
><em> To stop following misery's lead<em>  
><em> Shine away, shine away, shine away<em>

It may have been a lot, but he had to convince himself that it could not be overmuch. That he could deal with it. Him and the rest of the people. Why? Because they were supposed to. Because they had to to survive. Because it was their _job_ to and, dammit, they would do it. They had to. He had to, he knew that now.

_Isn't it time you got over_  
><em> How fragile you are<em>  
><em> We're all wait-<em>  
><em> Waiting on your supernova<em>  
><em> Cause that's who you are<em>  
><em> And you've only begun to shine<em>

No one knew how long the FAYZ would be around. Forever? Maybe. If so, then his job had just barely begun. He would do it as well as he could as long as he could. As a leader, he would shine. Literally, with the light of his Suns.

_ Yeah you've only begun to shine_  
><em> Yeah you've only begun to shine<em>

**Song: Shine by Anna Nalik.  
>You can suggest a song you'd like to see, although I might not do it and definitely won't if you suggest a person to go with it. I don't have a way of picking the songs at the moment, so ideas are welcome.<br>**


	4. Rawhide

Zil kicked a rock down a nearly empty street in town. It rolled down and hit a dark streetlamp. He chose another rock and started kicking it. He walked with the remaining members, the core of his gang, at his back.

_Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' _

He was lost in thought, lost in memory of better days. He remembered Hunter. The freak that had killed Harry. The freak they had nearly killed. That they had tried to hang in the town square. _Go on, pick up the rope now. Pick up the rope and you'll get fed._ Sure, the Council disapproved, but what could they do? Astrid and her retarded brother had been lashed to the wall next to him, and Sam and his had been out of town. No one to stop him. What could the other kids do? Get fed, that's what. Herd the little sheep and puppies and get them to do what you want.

The moofs and the moof-lovers were _freaks_. There was no other way to describe them. They made the rules to favor themselves. They got the best food. They got the best of everything. Not any more. Between his gang, Lisa, and his tactical instinct they had come close to attaining that now far off goal. They would have been living the high life if it weren't for those moofs.

_Keep movin', movin', movin', _  
><em>Though they're disapprovin', <em>  
><em>Keep them doggies movin' Rawhide! <em>  
><em>Don't try to understand 'em, <em>  
><em>Just rope and throw and grab 'em, <em>  
><em>Soon we'll be living high and wide. <em>  
><em>Boy my heart's calculatin' <em>  
><em>My true love will be waitin', be waiting at the end of my ride. <em>

They had started the dream life in their corner of town. They threw out, set out, marked, and hurt all the moofs living there. They terrorized people. They had thrown out that siren-girl and her brother. They drilled the normal kids there on how to live. They hunted out all the freaks and drove them out, just like the girl. Good riddance, too, what with her involvement with the incident that had nearly killed them all, with Orsay and Nerezza and Mary's Big Jump.

_Move 'em on, head 'em up, _  
><em>Head 'em up, move 'em out, <em>  
><em>Move 'em on, head 'em out Rawhide! <em>  
><em>Set 'em out, ride 'em in <em>  
><em>Ride 'em in, let 'em out, <em>  
><em>Cut 'em out, ride 'em in Rawhide. <em>

They ruled their little territory. Their corner of town. Sam was the only freak that dared poke his head anywhere near them then, and he was _one_ freak, for goodness sake. One freak that could do a _hell_ of a lot of damage, that's who. Especially when they decided they were not going to be content with that little bit of town. Especially when he was free to deal with them as he would. But until then they would wield unbelievable power in their own right in that quadrant. They would roll over any local resistance by freaks.

_Rollin', rollin', rollin' _  
><em>Rollin', rollin', rollin' <em>  
><em>Rollin', rollin', rollin' <em>  
><em>Rollin', rollin', rollin' <em>  
><em>Rawhide! <em>

They kept the normals under control by whatever means they had to. Though they had found a small stockpile, they only handed it out little by little to keep them moving. No one knew about it except Lance, Hank, and Zil. Not even Lisa. They bought it while it lasted, until Albert had found it and stolen it. Everyone wondered where that little creep had gotten his stockpile from, That was where. That was part of what had made them so angry with the ones they had called 'freak lovers'.

When they had wanted more, they had reached out to take it. They matched their timing to Caine's demands, sure, and Zil missed having his girlfriend Lisa by his side during the fight, but had they done what they tried to it would not have mattered.

_Rollin', rollin', rollin' _  
><em>Though the streams are swollen <em>  
><em>Keep them dogies rollin' <em>  
><em>Rawhide! <em>  
><em>Rain and wind and weather <em>  
><em>Hell-bent for leather <em>  
><em>Wishin' my gal was by my side. <em>  
><em>All the things I'm missin', <em>  
><em>Good vittles, love, and kissin', <em>  
><em>Are waiting at the end of my ride <em>

Now Zil walked the streets, no, _stalked_ the streets with almost no one on his side. He kept his proud, angry, hothead head up, eyes and tongue snapping at anyone who dared look down upon him to his face. He drilled his few remaining members mercilessly, into the dust. They would rally sometime, and gain power and the town's respect and fear once again somehow. When an opportunity to do so presented itself, he and his would be ready. He had seen to that.

_Move 'em on, head 'em up _  
><em>Head 'em up, move 'em on <em>  
><em>Move 'em on, head 'em up <em>  
><em>Rawhide <em>  
><em>Count 'em out, ride 'em in, <em>  
><em>Ride 'em in, count 'em out, <em>  
><em>Count 'em out, ride 'em in <em>  
><em>Rawhide! <em>

A few of them, still, shrank back in fear. Although, these days, it was mostly revulsion that kept people away. That and the extra stink of being assigned the worst jobs. Like digging the trenches where kids did their _business_ and recovering them. It was disgusting work, and meant to just 'show them their place' and because they could and they didn't want to do it. They were the dogs now, forced into the sheepherd by those slanderous moofs! Oh, how he wanted to crush them.

But not yet. Now was not the chance. For now, Zil was content to sit back and plan. Oh, he would be ready when the time came.

_Keep movin', movin', movin' _  
><em>Though they're disapprovin' <em>  
><em>Keep them dogies movin' <em>  
><em>Rawhide! <em>  
><em>Don't try to understand 'em <em>  
><em>Just rope, throw, and brand 'em <em>  
><em>Soon we'll be living high and wide. <em>  
><em>My hearts calculatin' <em>  
><em>My true love will be waitin', <em>  
><em>Be waitin' at the end of my ride.<br>Rawhide! _  
><em>Rawhide!<em>

**Song: Rawhide by Blues Brothers.** **[This is for...well, you know who you are. ;) ]**


	5. Closer

Caine walked through some of the empty, burnt out streets of Perdido Beach. After a onlyfew days he had lost over half his kids to Sam and his lake, so there was a lot of room. It was late, so most people were asleep or locked up anyway. There was not a soul in sight. It was creepy with the not-moon and not-stars of the FAYZ. There were no grasshoppers to be heard, and the other noises of night didn't exist here. He took a look around the wreckage of this street and kicked a piece of stray garbage in front of him.

The cold was chilly and an ice cube ran down his spine in the blackness. Yet he did not stop. He had known it when Diana had gone and left him, choosing his brother over him. Everyone chose his brother over him. His mother. The children. Jack. And now Diana. She knew how much he loved her, so why did she leave? Fiery anger, disbelief, and vile-tasting hate rose in the broken, jagged crevices of his heart as he thought it, and forced his head to think about nothing again. How much easier that was to do in the night time.

_Stranded in this spooky town_  
><em>Stoplights are swaying and the phone lines are down<em>  
><em>This floor is crackling cold, she took my heart, I think she took my soul<em>  
><em>With the moon I run far from the carnage of the fiery sun<em>

His sociopathic tendencies raised their ugly head. He was going to get revenge... He had to. What else was there? There was power, usurpers, revenge, and that kind of stuff. What is mercy, anyway? He was going to get Diana back somehow, and he was going to actually kill Sam this time and...and...and...

_Driven by the strangle of vein showing no mercy I do it again,_  
><em>Open up your eye, you keep on crying baby, I'll bleed you dry<em>  
><em>Skies they blink at me, I see a storm bubbling up from the sea<em>

No. Something was wrong. Caine felt a stirring on the edge of his consciousness. Something was very wrong.

_And it's coming closer_  
><em>And it's coming closer<em>

It didn't matter at the moment. He ignored it and went back to his plan to get back at Sam and Diana. She left him for _him_, and left him alone. She loved him, and then she was gone. What did she really think? Did she truly care? Did it matter to her that he loved her? Did it matter to her that he..._missed_ her, for food's sake! No, it didn't seem to. It left him fazed, but she truly seemed to have gone her own way and left him in the dust, for the wolves, well, coyotes. Did she realize the toll it took on him?

_You shimmy shook my bone leaving me stranded all in love on my own_  
><em>Do you think of me? Where am I now? Baby where do I sleep?<em>  
><em>Feel so good but I'm old, 2000 years of chasing's taking its toll<em>

He halted his train of thought. From his lips muttered four terrible words. "_Hungry in the Dark_." He stopped dead in his tracks, shocked. Then he put the pieces together. What could nudge his consciousness like that? The Darkness. What was 'hungry in the dark'? The Darkness, although Caine had already fed him once. It was back, and closer than ever. He would have to watch his steps carefully. Or maybe, he could manipulate _it _to do what he needed done. Whatever. He wouldn't take his chances-too risky. But one horrifying fact swirled around in his otherwise now-empty head.

It was back. And it was coming closer with every passing moment.

_And it's coming closer_  
><em>And it's coming closer<em>  
><em>And it's coming closer<em>  
><em>And it's coming closer<em>

**Song: Closer by Kings of Leon. [Song Request by: luv-me-some-whiphand]  
><strong>


	6. Vampire

Nemesis called out in his pain, lashing wildly. A girl with healing hands screamed, from somewhere far away. The feared one called Whip Hand laughed with pleasure at the touch on his insane, immortal mind. The Gaiaphage was pleased. It was time to join them in a new game.

_Dark are the streets, gloom's creeping out of the walls_  
><em>Dirt comes alive and all the neon-lights call<em>  
><em>Demons and fools and a lady of black<em>  
><em>She's of the kind nighttime-insomniac<em>  
><em>She sees the prey and she's aware<em>  
><em>The times are hard but she don't care<em>

The world had taken oh so many turns for the worst. The children were alone in a relatively small dome. They had to learn to fend for themselves, fighting off predators, each other, and depression alike while finding food. No one had any semblance of happiness. The food was next to impossible to get to, what with the fields crawling with zekes. All the other mutations had proved to be just as horrible. They didn't need one more trouble.

So the Gaiaphage had decided to give it to them. It forced itself upon Nemesis for a short time. Just long enough and far and deep enough to produce one key thing-a human form to stalk among the children, her prey.

_She's a vampire_  
><em>Desire darker than black<em>  
><em>She's a vampire<em>  
><em>Reach higher, no turning back<em>  
><em>Her wings are curtains of the night<em>  
><em>She knows no wrong or right<em>

Nerezza was her name. Black. It meant Black. What a fitting name, thought the Darkness. It was continually enshrouded in black, except for it's own glow and that of the one kid with the Bright Hands, who he had only seen once. He should have died, so the Darkness hadn't bothered get too deep into his head.

Nerezza was a demon, feeding off the Gaiaphage's own food. She knew only evil, and no good. She was not a person of day, but stayed in the darkness and spun her nasty webs in the shadows of the children sought to destroy.

_Dead are the places where this goddess has been_  
><em>Cold is the skin that this creature has seen<em>  
><em>Her universe is an ocean of blood<em>  
><em>Her dining table the cradle of mud<em>  
><em>She sees the prey and she's aware<em>  
><em>The times are hard but she don't care<em>

Dead. She was dead. Dead as the skin of Orsay's hands from their long association on the FAYZ wall. Dead as Orsay herself, or Mary, or as the children should have been that night, on Mother's Day. Dead as Duck or Drake or Brittney. Dead as they wanted Sam and Dekka and Brianna and Edilio and the rest who had any roles of import. Dead as their food when they ate it, when they hungrily ripped chunks out of the meager harvests they had managed and gnawed on the bones to stop the growling in their stomachs as it steadily got louder. Times were hard in the FAYZ, and she didn't care. It's not like it affected her in any adverse way, or her creator.

_She's a vampire_  
><em>Desire darker than black<em>  
><em>She's a vampire<em>  
><em>Reach higher, no turning back<em>  
><em>Her wings are curtains of the night<em>  
><em>She knows no wrong or right<em>

No, she was not just a creation of the Darkness. She _was_ the Darkness. She was another embodiment of it. She had the same goals. She was the same person. She fed on that which only hurt others. Fitting, because she was only good at hurting others, and had no desire to help anyone when it was not to her own end. She was capable of a great deal of evil, and delighted in its execution. The kids would die soon, and she would only help to push them in the right direction, of course!

_The night is blind, the mistress she is calling you_  
><em>To be by her side forevermore<em>  
><em>Follow her until her thirst is sated<em>  
><em>an immortal lie, heartblood<em>

Orsay. Her mind had been so easy to invade. Because of her Power to see dreams, her mind had been wide open. She just had to tap into the Nerezza's dreams once, or by proxy, the 'dreams' of the Gaiaphage. It had been extremely easy to force hooks deep into her head then. It had been even easier to insist afterwards that Nerezza be Orsay's assistant. Nerezza was sure that with Orsay she could wreak much havoc. So she followed in Orsay's shadow, spinning webs of doubt and wonder, until she struck in an effort to sate her thirst for blood.

_Can't help yourself, she's got you paralyzed _  
><em>So would you kiss the sun goodbye<em>  
><em>And give your life to never die?<em>

Drake had been even easier, because he had been fool enough to _welcome _the Gaiaphage into his mind. Well, maybe not a fool. Maybe it was what he wanted. The Gaiaphage had given him a chance to live again, to terrorize people and make them fear him again. To have power over them. It had been so easy to manipulate the healing girl to give him the other arm, the snake hand that Drake had used as a whip, too. It was just as well, because at least most of the time the Gaiaphage was intent of helping him. He furthered its ends, so why not further his and give him the illusion that he had something powerful to wield?

_She's a vampire_  
><em>Desire darker than black<em>  
><em>She's a vampire<em>  
><em>Reach higher, no turning back<em>  
><em>Her wings are curtains of the night<em>  
><em>She knows no wrong or right<em>

Nemesis called out in his pain, lashing wildly. A girl with healing hands screamed, from somewhere far away. The feared one called Whip Hand laughed with pleasure at the touch on his insane, immortal mind. Nerezza was pleased. It was time to begin the game. Cue the music for the deadly dance choreographed by none other than herself.

Nerezza smiled out upon the town as she sat on the gravestones. They would increase soon, she was certain. Well, she thought, let the games begin, Nemesis.

**Song: ****Vampire by Xandria  
><strong>


	7. Winterhearted

A boy walked through the woods, wearing a rock into shreds in his hands. Something weaker wouldn't have sustained the strength that little Jack had in his arsenal. _  
><em>

_I was a fool for what I thought was love_  
><em>And I tried my best to keep up what we had<em>  
><em>We had a vision, no, I had a vision<em>  
><em>And now I've to see that the vision is dead<em>

Mathematically, it all made sense. Or, rather, none of it is. Love is not a math problem and it has no formula. Not any of the formulae in the world could come close to defining love. Jack had thought he had, with Brianna, but he had been wrong. A wrong fool, that's what became of Computer Jack, the child genius and smartest kid around Coates. A fool. A fool for love.

_One of us is winterhearted_  
><em>One of us is cold as ice<em>  
><em>One of us is breaking hearts<em>  
><em>And it's not me not me<em>

___One of us is winterhearted_  
><em>One of us is cold as ice<em>  
><em>One of us is breaking hearts<em>  
><em>And it's not me not me<em>__

Brianna. What did she have instead of a heart? Ice, maybe? Jack knew that logically that was impossible because by the nature of ice, it could not provide life. Brianna was warm, welcoming and full of energy. She was still the last one. Brianna was always full of energy. But she was a heart breaker, now, having stolen his heart and smashed it when he wasn't good enough for her. One of them hurt people. And it wasn't him.

_I was romantic, so silly and blind_  
><em>I told the world that true love had a name<em>  
><em>But all that is left now is pity and shame<em>

He had never been in love before. He had thought he liked Diana, but he had decided against that as soon as he laid eyes on Brianna. He hadn't known. He'd gone in as a naive, silly romantic. He had proclaimed his love. Brianna had cared for him when he was sick, even when she was sick too. Brianna had saved him before, and saved him again from making the wrong choices. But were they the wrong choices? Jack didn't know. He didn't know anything anymore. He was just a big bowl of self-pity and shame. How could he ever look at her in the eye again?

_One of us is winterhearted_  
><em>One of us is cold as ice<em>  
><em>One of us is breaking hearts<em>  
><em>And it's not me not me<em>

__One of us is winterhearted_  
><em>One of us is cold as ice<em>  
><em>One of us is breaking hearts<em>_  
>And it's not me not me<em>_

He had been hurt. Beaten up by the bullies. Tortured and tormented for his general nerdiness. He knew how to deal with other people hurting him, for the most part. But Brianna was almost a part of him, and he couldn't guard his heart against that. He fired the last of the rock at a nearby bole, and watched as it went though. The tree was oozing sap from its phloem much like the emotions in Jack's heart.

D__ekka, why did you have to go and steal Brianna's heart?

**Song: Winterhearted by Xandria**


	8. Hear You Scream

Brittney sat down on the ground, praying with all her might. If she only prayed harder, more, and was a better person, surely God would answer her begging!_  
><em>

_So we're not to be detrimental to this world we need to save the living soul we have to brave the Robot hold I speak of freedom friends and enemies - rights and felonies - for security - I want to hear you scream..._

She prayed and prayed. She prayed for the souls of every kid in the FAYZ. She prayed for their dead. She prayed for food and water and enough of everything to last. She prayed for Tanner. She prayed for Freedom. She prayed for their continued survival. She prayed for friendship and kinship among the others. She also prayed for herself most ardently of all.

_Suck the breath right out of the cold - you have been told - it's not allowed if you're proud to be bold_  
><em>You are alone - you are alone - I wanna hear you scream...<em>  
><em>I wanna hear you scream...<em>

What was wrong with her? She was dead! She had died. Drake or Caine or someone in their strike team had killed her. She didn't remember. It didn't matter. What mattered was that she was dead. She had no pulse, no heartbeat. She needed no food or drink. She needed no air or water. She just would not die. A scream that started somewhere deep in her lungs pushed its way to her tonsils, and out her mouth. She screamed so loudly that the windows shook in the remnants of the old church.

_Suck the breath right out of the cold - you have been told - it's not allowed_  
><em>Suck the breath right out of the cold - you have been told - it's not allowed if you're proud to be bold<em>  
><em>You are alone - you are alone - I wanna hear you scream...<em>

It was cool outside, she heard. Some kids had been shivering as she walked past, clutching their bony arms closer to themselves. She didn't feel cold. She supposed she wouldn't feel warm, either. She didn't know. And suddenly, temperature became the least important thing in her world. She felt just as she always had in an ambient temperature, and didn't feel any changes at all no matter how she moved or where she went.

_Take the stand and rally your shame - you are insane - this is your fault you will harbor the blame_  
><em>You are alone - you are alone - I wanna hear you scream...<em>  
><em>I wanna hear you scream... I wanna hear you scream...<em>

She screamed out at God even now, yelling and crying and sobbing. She beseeched Him with every breath. Why did He not let her just go? She was dead. Why did He not let her die? She was going insane. She blamed Him for a lot of things, now.

_Conflicting thoughts I have confuse me to the point where I am no longer withstanding my own mind I need to stop I'm dying_  
><em>If you were here with me I'd wonder even less for you're the voice of reason, thought of treason crosses every thought I'm trying<em>  
><em>I want to do the right thing in this world society has broken me - I'm just another Bot - unable to forget - unable to forgive - re-living memories<em>  
><em>I beg for freedom!<em>

She turned around and saw Tanner, her dead brother. Or was he dead? Was he like her? No, he wasn't, was he? Brittney thought of trying to throw something at him to see if it hurt him. A knife, to see if it drew blood? She no longer bled, and she suddenly longed to see flowing blood, any sign of life. But that would mean that someone hurt someone else, or themselves, and God had to be against that. Definitely.

Oh Tanner, she cried aloud, the FAYZ has broken us all. Oh God, just let me be free of this foul world and it's sadistic temptations!

_So we're not to be detrimental to this world we need to save the living soul we have to brave the Robot hold I speak of freedom friends and enemies - rights and felonies - for security ._  
><em>Suck the breath right out of the cold - you have been told - it's not allowed if you're proud to be bold<em>  
><em>You are alone - you are alone - I wanna hear you scream...<em>

Brittney sat up startled as she felt a touch on her mind. It was not warm and motherly as she thought God's touch would feel, but cool and almost slimy, if that was even possible. No, here anything was possible. Even such a touch. She turned around and saw Tanner. He smiled down at her. She smiled back. Tanner seemed to shine, and outline of green on black. She kept smiling at Tanner. He was God's representative form and He had a divine mission for her.

She had to cleanse the Earth of the foul freaks and the kids with the potential to become freaks. She needed to stop the supernatural. Only then could she die.

_Take the stand and rally your shame - you are insane - this is your fault you will harbor the blame_  
><em>You are alone - you are alone<em>

A grin plastered itself on her face as it came face to face with her. The Gaiaphage. Inside her some small part quivered, telling her that this was not God, that God would not tell someone to kill another, many others. It spoke of guilt and shame in both feeling and in the all-seeing eyes of God. It spoke of many things-until she and the Gaiaphage crushed it like a lone air pocket in a piece of bubble wrap. In that moment, Brittney felt alone. Then Tanner appeared and pointed her in the direction of the town. She was alone again as she plucked her way back.

She had work to do, work she alone could do. And then, she was sure she could reach Heaven, where she could be truly reunited with her family. But for now, she was alone. It would be much easier to work that way. And that little part inside of her? It was far worse than alone-it was gone. And so, Brittney proceeded as the to-be murderer-robot she was, and the Gaiaphage rubbed its nonexistent hands together gleefully.

**Song: Hear You Scream by Hania [Thanks luv-me-some-whiphand for pointing out the song to me!]  
><strong>


End file.
